martes, 13 de diciembre de 2011

asilo is a sludge crust three-piece band from buenos aires, argentina. their members (nacho dp: drums / manuel: vox - bass - analogue devices / sebaxxxtian: bass / vox) played and still play in underground bands from the underground metal scene, like voightkampff, gran cuervo, milica, etc. we've released our first split with tzara (post hardcore, with manuel playing bass), including a live song from our very first show live in april 2011. Nowadays we are releasing this second split with fraccion george best, from chile, with two songs each band... this split cd will be releasing in chile and ecuador too.

In 2012, we are eager to play live and record our new songs and trying to be edited in usa or europe.

lunes, 12 de diciembre de 2011

"Panopticon’s A.Lundr (Austin Lunn – also of doom merchants Seidr) is a man with much to say. Each release from this band has a message and each has it’s own individual tone and feel whilst being unmistakably, a Panopticon record. In the past the band has commented on the struggles on dealing with one’s own mortality, with the collapse of government and on Social Disservices the subject matter is as relevant and hard hitting as ever.

Social Disservices is a raw record. Vocals are harsh and the production is just the right side of coarse, adding to the images conjured by this story. You can hear the sense of struggle, of not having your voice heard in the environments suggested. You can hear the dedication A.Lundr has for this cause and the people affected. This is a man who cares, a man with a background in activism, in social anarchy and from whom a lot can be learnt. I stumbled across Panopticon via a friend suggesting I give the band a listen and I picked up Collapse and the self titled record. I love music and I love music with a message and this gave the best of both worlds. Mixing an abundance of styles – bluegrass, crust punk, post-rock and the ever present black metal tone – with the RABM (Red & Anarchist Black Metal) ideology was a whole new world to me. Not least the RABM movement about which I knew nothing (check out that link above for a better overview of what it is about).

Beginning with “Resident,” the album immediately sets out it’s course. The track starts off with a sample of children laughing, giggling and sounding quite happy. Then, with what wounds like a click of the fingers, we descend into a world of terror. This is heavy. This is anger. This is Panopticon. The sound on this album is incredible (mastered by Colin Marston of Krallice), giving each element room to breathe. The pounding drums, the gorgoeous flashes of post-rock guitar. The vocals are kept low – as usual with this one-man band – yet this only adds to the absolute alarm felt. You’re never quite sure about what’s going on, and it all comes back to the ideas behind the record.

Social Disservices is the first of two records to be released in quick succession on one of the most exciting labels out there at the moment, Flenser Records. Dealing with the Social Services system and ultimately, it’s failings, this album is one with a strong concept and one that shouldn’t be ignored or swept under the carpet- much like the subject matter. Artists such as A.Lundr have a voice that needs heeding, it’s from people at the ground level that change can be affected. Look at the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, a collective with a passion for what they believe in and a passion that’s spreading to other major cities and to other countries. It’s incredible to see history being made. And whilst this album isn’t a diatribe on the economy, it is an album concerned with the effects of a corruption riddled system on today’s youth. A.Lundr is well placed to speak of these effects having worked within the system himself. The physical release features a lot of information regarding his experiences and the reasons behind making this particular piece. You’d be doing yourself a disservice by not seeking it out.

“Client” begins in the complete opposite manner to the previous track. This time utilising a sample of crying children, plainly scared and terrified. It’s genuinely unsettling and I can’t even imagine where this sound has come from. This shocking introduction is countered by beautiful guitar work in the initial stages of the song, and it’s this uneasy harmony that really sets the album apart from other Panopticon works. Whereas other records might have focused on one element of the Panopticon sound, Social Disservices is really an all encompassing album. Bringing together the styles heard on recent output On The Subject Of Mortality (released as two halves across two splits) and also this years split with Seidr band colleague Crow’s Wheels Within Wheels act, it’s an album of huge scope.

The opening minutes of “Subject” are almost industrial in nature, a driving beat underpinning the screams of A.Lundr quite majestically. The heavy as heavy can be bass ripples through until around four minutes when the style changes altogether. It’s jarring and the post-rock beauty shines through. It’s a heartbreaking spin on the songs axis, and full of pure emotion. A few minutes later, the vocal really comes to the fore. It’s so stark compared to other moments in the song and on the record, so full of truth that you cannot help but to fully immerse yourself in this world. You listen, and you listen hard. When the closing refrains feature footsteps down a corridor and jangling of keys to unlock a door fade, you may find deep and palpable pain in your heart.

Continuing this assault on the senses, “Patient” closes the album. A twenty minute grief-strewn, violin laden piece, it takes you to a place of pain and distrust. This track pulls in all directions – super harsh vocals, exceptional blasting drumwork, sublime bass driven moments – it’s certainly a stand-out track on an astounding piece of work. The final moments are full of divine bass lines and overwhelmingly ethereal lead guitar work. Shimmering and delicate, leading into the sounds of what appears to be nighttime and ultimately loneliness."

"I’ll get right to it, after one full-length (2007′s The End of All You Know) and a couple of splits, California’s The Makai have somehow rendered one of the most brilliant pieces of music I’ve heard with Embracing the Shroud of a Blackened Sky. Now I know most regular readers of this site know that I tend to get a little overexcited about releases, often gushing over them initially and then returning to a more sane state once the dust has settled. Kinda like when you are actually getting a blowjob… it’s always the best one ever! Right?!

However, it’s with some degree of conviction that I state that the one, 27-minute song contained on this vinyl only release―though rumors of a future CD-release linger in the air―is some of the most breathtaking music I’ve ever heard. At least within the realms of the genre ― that genre being a sort of blackened thrash/crust/screamo/metalcore hybrid, and even post-rock that could be lumped, under a vast umbrella that covers acts Withered, Uphill Battle and even Elder, Hiretsukan and Shai Hulud.

The strength of this song is its busy and epic, melodic tremolo picked riffage that’s more black metal than anything. There’s some truly searing but still harmonic blasts on this number that are simply mind-blowing. For instance at 1:35, 7:16, 9:54 and especially the awesome, climactic moment at 20:00: The rumbling/rolling percussion backs some searing, draining blasting that had my knees wilting. Throw in some more urgent but jangly melodies and some tense and somber moments, seething screams/roars and some atmospheric/ ambient/post-rock, bridges that signal the vinyl flipping and LP ending moments. And with the band being tighter and better produced (though still very brittle and organic) than on the debut CD, the whole thing comes together with stunning results. For you collectors out there, this LP-version comes with a giant poster of the cover art, as well as a gorgeous little lyric pamphlet.

It’s a pity this brilliant piece of music is only available to those with a record player ― even if all real metalheads have one, right? None the less, I hope the CD rumors come to fruition, so more folks can hear this shining gem! Perhaps they’ll include a 15-minute track called “Koschei” as well as the tracks from the band’s two split-releases. If and when that happens, it means I get to listen to “Embracing the Shroud of a Blackened Sky” another 274 times!"
review by teeth of divine

"T.T.E. is very excited to finally release this brutal slab of wax that has been in the works for quite a few months now. For those of you who have not had the privilage of seeing or hearing about both these awsome bands, here is a little info.

From Austin Texas, we have DOOM SIREN who storm into 4 brutal new trax of heavy & savage metallic crust.Reminds me a lot of BOLT THROWER Gutteral vocals vomiting hatred for capitalism and war. This being there third and best release yet, these guys are definatly one of my favorite active bands going right now in the states.

On the Flip side of the record hailing from Victoria BC, ISKRA never fail to impress yet again tearing through 4 new tracks of their trademark blackened crust, Including a cover of Marduk's "Levelling Dust".After releasing 2 full length LP's, a split LP with AGAINST EMPIRE, split 7" with SELF RULE, there own 7" and various comps and demo cassettes, they are still in full effect and hiting harder then ever, Fuck they are truely one of the most unique and greatest band of our time. Absolutely essential for anybody even remotely interested in crust or black metal!"

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